We Finally Saw Narnia!

by Steve Ray on December 31, 2005

Janet and I, along with our youngest daughter Emily finally slowed down enough to see The Chronicals of Narnia yesterday afternoon. We loved the movies and were delighted with the way the story was relayed. I have great praise for Disney for making this movie and keeping it faithful to the book. I hope they produce more movies like this — especially the remaining volumes in the Narnia series.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, run out and see it on the big screen. I've already ordered it on DVD (it will be shipped as soon as it is available) but to see it on the big screen is spectacular — especially the battle scene and the death and resurrection of Aslan.

However, we did have a few complaints. First, the voice of Aslan was not right. It should have been a deeper, richer voice — more royal and elegant. Also, he should have roared more :-)

Second, they left out my favorite line in the whole story, at least my paraphrase of it — “Remember the deeper magic from before the dawn of time.“ I used to have that line on all my business cards.

The Deep Magic, the Law of Narnia stated, as the Witch clearly explained “that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every trechery I have a right to kill.“

So, the traitor Edmond belonged to the Witch. But Aslan, as a willing victim, died in Edmond's place and after coming back to life he explained to to Lucy and Susan:

“The Witch knew the Deep Magic, but there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of Time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who has committed not reachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards.”

What a marvelous movie! Another in a line of marvelous Catholic/Christian films to grace the usually banal and crude screens of America. The Passion of the Christ, The Lord of the Rings, and now Narnia. (Make sure to see the recent Ninth Day too, now out on DVD.)

If you've not seen it, run out today before its off the big screen; if you have seen it, take some friends and family and go see it again. And after you do — do what C.S. Lewis would have done — stop in at your local pub and discuss the Deeper Magic from before the Dawn of Time.